


Tell Me Where It Hurts

by Madness_Style



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: AU human, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-14 14:31:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5747932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madness_Style/pseuds/Madness_Style
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After two years away from home, Marianne Fairfield accepts a job as a baby sitter for Dr. King's two children. Obviously nothing goes as expected.</p><p>Or, how I took Strange Magic characters and twisted them for my own sick pleasure. I apologize.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Back Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My very first attempt in writing ever! I hope you will enjoy it! Many of you ff writers were an inspiration for me so thanks! This is for all of you!
> 
> If you feel brave you can follow me on tumblr http://nonsapevodiesserenerd.tumblr.com/

Marianne stood in front of the outer fence of the cottage house, arms crossed against her chest trying to fight the cold and heart pounding faster than it should as she tried to recollect her thoughts.

_"C'mon Marianne, you can do it...oh God, no, I can't..hell how did I even got stuck into this situation?"_

And she knew exactly the answer as a name slipped out of her mouth along with a cloud of chill.

"...Dawn"

 

_Three weeks earlier_

"I'm telling you Marianne, this job is perfect for you!!" her sister yelled cheerfully over the phone, so loud that Marianne had to back away from the speaker.

"I don't know Dawn.." she sighed, pacing nervously around the kitchen of her apartment, flipping a lock of hair behind her ear while she took a moment to think of answer "You know how I feel about interacting with people" she finally said.

"It's not people" Dawn replied cutting her off "It's kids, just two, and it's nothing you haven't done before. You used to love working with children before...you know..."

Yes, she knew too well, as a sense of nausea came up her throat.

"Give it a try! At least just for one week" Dawn's insisting voice brought her back from that train of thoughts "And if you decide you still don't want the job you will be back to your usual, _boring_ , life".

Marianne let out a dry laugh at that last sentence "Hey it isn't that _boring_ " mocking Dawn's voice "The big city has a lot to offer" she said, though she was not so confidant about that last statement.

"Oh please Marianne! You only put your nose out of your apartment to go to work. And I can TOTALLY smell pre-cooked Thai food from here".

Marianne's hand froze mid-air, chopsticks holding some flopping curry chicken flavoured noodles, her mouth still opened as she was about to take a bite. She glared at them, narrowing her eyes with suspicion, like they were responsible of her sister lecture.

"I appreciate your concern about my diet little sister, but as I told you the last time, and the one before, I'm fine and I can t-".

"Take care of yourself, yeah, blah-blah, I know the song already! Don't try to change the subject".

 _"When it had happened that Dawn became the wiser between the two of them?"_ she asked herself, hearing the resolution in her sister's voice. Usually their phone calls were all about chit-chatting, avoiding subjects that would only hurt both.

"And beside..." Dawn's tone lowered "I miss you".

Speaking of hurtful matters.

"I..really, _reallyreallyreallyreally_ , truly, desperately miss you sis'.." she went on and Marianne realized that she was serious "..and not just me. The twins and Sunny would be so excited to have you finally back home!".

It had been almost two years since Marianne had left home after the well-too-known incident.  
After her life had been chewed and spit out by Roland, the man who she thought she would have spent the life with.  
After she had packed her bags and put an ocean of distance between her and everyone else, including her family.  
And she had been just fine, hidden in her bubble of numbness.

Maybe not happy, but fine.

But right in that moment, while listening to her sister's plead, her eyes wondered until they laid on the fridge, its doors totally covered by the pictures that Dawn kept sending her.

Pictures of Dawn's and Sunny's wedding; the two of them in the hospital holding in their arms the baby born twins, Pare and Lizzy; Dawn smiling happily at the opening of her pet shop "Paws&Claws"; the twins' first birthday, blowing their candles together with Sunny on the back dressed as a clown.

 _"How could I let myself to miss it all?"_ she thought. She had let one bad experience turn her away from the things and the people she loved, because that was what she had became afraid of.

_Love_

Suddenly she felt a crack in that shell that had kept her safe from the harshness of the world for so long. And though she swore to herself that love would have never crossed her path again, she couldn't deny Dawn's true affection. She was family, she would never have betrayed her.

Her broken heart had blinded her in the past, but she felt she was finally ready, she was stronger and, most of all, she was tired of running away.

"Marianne? Are you still there?" Marianne almost jumped, realizing she had been silent too long. Clutching the phone like it was her lifeline she replied, almost whispering

"...Just one week right?"

Dawn squealed over the phone and Marianne went definitely deaf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo this was just about to get warm. Another chapter is already on the way, but let me know what do you think already!  
> Coming next: meeting the kids!


	2. The Kids Aren't Alright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of old memories and new encounters

After the phone call with Dawn ended Marianne had a sleepless night, staring at the sticky ceiling with eyes wide open until the stains started to look like some weird pictures of one of those tests that shrinks use to determine how much crazy you are.

In her case it was a 100% hit score!

Despite that the next day she managed to quit her current job and took another few days to gather her belongings (very few, she had to admit), give back the keys of the apartment she had rented and book a flight from America back to England before she could have any second thoughts. Even on the plane she kept arguing with the voices in her head telling her that this was a very, _very_ bad idea. They shut off only when Marianne saw Dawn, Sunny and the twins waiting for her at the arrival gate, waving their hands and holding a huge banner that quoted "WELCOME BACK" in pinky glittering font.

"I met Mrs. King at the studio of the twin's pediatrician, Dr. King, a grumpy man if I may say, but the kids love him" Dawn told her while driving home from the airport. "She was there while he was checking up on Pare and they were arguing about him not dying sad and alone or something like that." She gestured with one hand keeping the other one firm on the wheel. "Well...actually she was doing all the talking while he pretended she wasn't there.."

"Daaaaawn, can you please get to the point? I already got a gigantic hell of a headache from that fucking flight" Marianne groaned, bumping her head against the car window while she looked at the street that folded in front of her eyes. Everything had remained the same, even her favourite coffee shop was still there, and in a blink of an eye she saw a younger version of herself with a cup of cinnamon coffee in her hand rushing into the streets running late for work. It was like she never left.

The only signs that showed that two years were actually gone by were sitting right behind her.

Pare and Lizzy were safe belted in their seats with Sunny sitting in the middle. Marianne slightly turned her head over her shoulder to look at them. They were both dark skinned like their father, but while Pare was the exact copy of Sunny, with a round face and spiky hair, Lizzy had Dawn's light blue eyes and a cascade of black curls that surely would have make turn more than a head in the future. They were just adorable in their matching outfits that said "Buy one, get one free". No picture that she had received through the years could make them justice.

"Fugging cake!" Lizzie giggled, trying to emulate what Marianne had just said.

"Aunt Mariaaanne maybe you should remember to watch your tongue around the kids!" Sunny grinned and arched an eyebrow with a fake look of inquisition. Her only answer was sticking her tongue out at them. The twins laughed again and she smiled as well despite the headache when Dawn snapped a finger to get back her attention.

"If you just let me finish I was about to get to the point. So I was about to walk out from the hospital when Mrs. King rushes towards me and suddenly starts to telling me how pretty I am and asking if I was willing to take care of Dr. King's two children. Of course I declined, but I told her about my wonderful sister, who happens to be also pretty and whose experience in working in a kindergarten for years would make her perfect for the job!"

"It was just the playground in the hospital pediatric ward Dawn, you know that." Marianne remarked. As she pronounced the word _hospital_ other memories crawled back in her mind. First the good ones, where she was surrounded by the little kids that were hospitalized, trying to make their time in the hospital better, singing songs and playing games. Then the bad ones, the ones where she discovered Roland cheating with that slutry nurse the day before their wedding, the sudden pain in her stomach and a rush in the surgery room. 

Her hands instinctively went to protect her belly. "Anyway" she said, trying to push back that last image in the back of her mind " What is the job exactly about?"

"Weeeell.. "

"Dawn?" Marianne gave her sister a wary look.

"We didn't really got into details" Dawn shrugged her shoulders.

"What? Did you just got me a job out of nowhere from a complete stranger!?" Marianne said with a voice mixed with anger and shock, waving her hands in the small space that the car offered.

Dawn didn't say anything and simply smiled, with that grin of her which Marianne had no defence against. She could only groan more, grinding her teeth and crouching herself in the car seat hoping to disappear.

*

"That girl will just drive me crazy" Marianne snorted, as she read the word "King" painted on the side of the old fashioned red mailbox that stood at the beginning of the alleyway leading to the house.

It was a small cottage located at the end of the street near the woods, as she could see the trees extending over the back of the house. The walls were also of wood, painted in dark red, and the roof was clearly made of stone. A warm ribbon of smoke rising from the old chimney promised warmth against the cold air. At the sides of the alleyway there were small portions of green that had seen better days, though she could spot some primroses still in bloom as she walked past. There were three steps leading to the porch and she found herself standing in front of the door, white wood as the same of the one that framed the large windows of the house.

"Well, Marianne, this is it, take it or leave it" she pressed her lips in a thin line and rose a hand to knock at the door since there were no ring bell, feeling like some kind of Mary Poppins.

 _"A dark, punk, still-jetlag-devastated version of Mary-fucking-Poppins"_ she told herself, glancing at her reflection on one of the windows to survey her clothing. Her head was covered with a grey slouchy beanie hat with matching scarf and gloves, but despite the hat a few locks of her ungovernable hair managed to stick out. She was wearing her favourite leather jacket (a very bad choice since it was freezing cold) over a purple blouse that reached her legs just above the knees. Her jeans were black and ripped in some parts and she wore heavy boots at her feet. Her dark make up completed the totally-reassuring-look.

After two knocks there was no answer. _"You can still leave"_ sung a teasing voice in her head, and she was about to take the advice when she heard some muffled sounds of footsteps and voices coming from inside

_"Lemme go Stuff, I wanna see her!"_

_"No you can't!"_

_"But whyyyy?"_

_"Because I'm the big one Thang, let me handle it."_

Marianne leaned closer trying to listen, with her right ear and palms pressed against the door, when it unexpectedly threw open. She froze, hands raised up in surrender trying not to lose her balance. At first she didn't see anyone until she looked down...

And there they were, standing in front of her.

She noticed the boy first. A skinny little thing with a big head and fluffy blonde hair that somehow reminded her of Dawn. But what caught her eye was that he was wearing a diving mask and his huge big eyes were looking shyly at her through the glass. He was standing behind whom Marianne realized must have been his sister. She was quite the opposite of her brother, a couple of years older for sure, but not much taller than him. Her body was chubby and she was dressed like she had just popped out from the "Fame" movie, with a gym outfit and a headband that pulled her short hair over her forehead. She had both hands on her hips and gave Marianne a mistrusted look while her mouth curled in a mop.

Marianne felt awkward, as she was realised her palms were still up. She slowly put them down, like she was afraid of frighten them and took a better look at the two bizarre creatures. _"Say something, Marianne, quick. Dawn was right...you've done this before...they're just kids...how hard can it be?!" S_ he would have never admitted that the girl's look was prevailing over her, but then she straighten her posture, gave the kids the better smile she had and waved a hand.

"...Hello?"

The girl narrowed her little eyes even further, then grabbed the edge of the door and slammed it, shouting "I DON'T LIKE YOU!!"

Marianne stand there, utterly petrified.

It was going to be very hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for keeping the chapters so short, but writing in english is very hard when it's not your mother language! This story is developing in my mind faster than I can keep track of, so I hope to put it in words in the best way I can!
> 
> Thank you so much for your comments and kudos! They mean a lot to me!
> 
> Coming next: the doctor is in!


	3. Do You Believe In Fairies?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of undercover fairies, dog food and robbers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait!

_The ECG equipment near the bed was bleeping slowing at every beat, until the line on the monitor went still and another last endless bip echoed within the walls of the room. An 8 years old Marianne stood at the end of the hospital bed where her mother laid, her tiny hands strongly gripped to the edge, turning her knuckles white._

_"You have to come with me now, Marianne." A large hand fell gently on her shoulder. "It will be...ok..I-I promise.." Her dad whispered, with an unbearable pain in his voice, but Marianne didn't move._

_"I can't leave.." she sobbed, tears running from her eyes to meet at the corners of her trembling mouth "...mommy...mommy needs me.."_

_"I am afraid there's nothing we can do anymore my little butterfly" He came closer, trying to reach her fingers to untangle her hands from the bed. "Mommy's gone...now please...please Marianne..come with me". He started to pull her away from the foot head, and that was when Marianne started to scream._

_"NONONO!! I DON'T WANNA LEAVE HER! MOM! MOMMY!" she tried to reach the bed with one hand, but her father picked her up circling his arms around her waist, locking her arms, and started to walk away. She threw her legs kicking the air in an attempt to get free, while she kept crying and screaming out of her lungs. "LET ME GO! I HATE YOU" she wriggled and wriggled until at last she broke free from her father's grip. She turned to face him, her brown-sugar eyes burning red from tears and anger. "I HATE YOU! I WANT MOMMY BACK" she shouted._

_"I DON'T LIKE YOU!" she shouted again, but another voice joined hers this time, coming from a far away distance._

It was from the little girl she had just met.

_"I DON'T LIKE YOU!" they both shouted._

 

 

 

And Marianne jolted.

She hadn’t moved from the spot she was, eyes blinking wide open and too shocked to really think of what to do next. On one hand, the easiest thing to do would have been to turn her back around, walk away, try to catch the first plane back home and pretend that this whole thing never happened. But, on the other hand, she couldn't erase from her head that angry look the little girl gave her. It had pierced through her eyes straight in the back of her mind, unleashing memories she thought she had safely kept locked forever. Memories of a time when she had worn that same anger against everyone who could not understand her pain.

Then, while her thoughts were still fiercely battling in her head, the door opened again.

Another tiny figure stood beside her, so short that at first Marianne thought it must have been a third child, but when her glance landed on the face she noticed it was an old woman. Standing on the threshold with one hand on the hip and the other holding the door she gave a sharp gaze back at Marianne, causing wrinkles to appear at the corners of her eyes, then a wide grin spread over her face when she finally spoke.

"You must be Miss Fairfield!" She clapped her hands with delight. "I've been expecting you!"

Her voice was hoarse but incredibly shrill at the same time, hinted with some accent that Marianne could not define. "Come inside darling, don't stand out there in the cold! I'm Griselda, Griselda King." The old lady opened the door wider to make room.

"Thank you ma'am, my name is-WHOA!!" Marianne was caught by surprise when she was grabbed by her wrist and dragged inside.

"Make yourself at home sweetie." The woman didn't let go of her grip, gesturing with her free hand to show the house. "I've put up some tea, it should be ready in a minute." Marianne could do nothing but follow her, curving the back to keep up the pace with the short figure. The hold on her wrist was strong, unexpectedly strong for such a tiny old lady as she was.

She was sure she would have a bruise tomorrow.

"Oh… well" she managed to say "Nice to meet you ma'am, as I was saying I'm Mar-"

"Marianne, yes! Your sister Dawn told me _everything_ about you!" Griselda interrupted her.

_"Of course she had!"_

Marianne grumbled in her head, noting to herself to give Dawn a little lesson about privacy, _AGAIN_ , but she was distracted when she smelled a nice scent of cinnamon and vanilla. She recognized it instantly, half-closing her eyes and inhaling with pleasure, it was her favourite kind of tea, and then she noticed that Griselda had led them into the kitchen and had let go of her wrist. She was now holding a silver tray with a nice set for tea, smoke pouring from the pot, and a bowl filled with lumps of brown sugar.

"She also told me you like your tea extra sweet." Her wide grin was still spread across her face and her skin made Marianne think of papier-maché, but despite that she imagined she must have been a real beauty in her glory days.

"I… actually do, yeah" she rubbed her wrist, making circles with her hand to make sure nothing was broken. Griselda tilted her fuzzy-haired head leading the way out of the kitchen and through the hall, where Marianne spotted many acknowledgments certifications hanging on the wall, all well framed and with the same name written on them.

_"Dr. Boehain Gordain King, pediatrician"_

_"Nerd!"_ she teased him in her head, but let her amusement out with a long whistle.

"Ah, those are my son's merits! All work and no fun, the boy! Leaving me here to deal with those two rascals!" Griselda remarked when she heard her. "Now, don't get me wrong, I love those kids with all my heart, but sadly I'm getting older every passing day and can't keep up the pace with all their demanding."

Marianne thought of her father, always too busy to take care of her and Dawn, even after their mother died.

Even after what happened with Roland.

He couldn't accept her decision to leave, because he still cherished the hope that she and "Mr. Perfection" would have ended being together. It didn't matter how many times Marianne had tried to explain her reasons, to make him understand how she was broken inside after everything that happened, but he just wouldn't listen. They hadn't spoken since then, though she knew her father loved her. But like most men, he showed love through self-sacrifice and working hard. Marianne assumed from what Griselda had said that Dr. King must not had been much different. They didn't understand that kids need a much simple kind of love, the one where hugs and kisses are worth ten thousand more than hours spent away from home.

"...and so, since their mother left, he decided we didn't need anyone else around!"

Lost in her inner thoughts Marianne didn't notice that Griselda was still talking, until that last phrase caught back her attention.

"Wait, what? Their mother... left?" she swallowed the last word trying to ignore a knot in her stomach. "What happened?"

Griselda stopped walking and Marianne bit her bottom lip, regretting that question immediately, as she saw her whole body tense like a string.

_"So much for privacy Marianne!"_ she blamed herself.

"I-I'm sorry, that was..."

"No need for apology dear." Griselda answered kindly, still giving her back, but any trace of cheer in her voice was gone. "For what is worth, all you need to know is that _I_ am the only Mrs. King in this house."

Given that Marianne didn't need to investigate further.

She continued following Griselda until they ended in the living room. Mrs. King set the tray on a small coffee table, inviting Marianne to take a sit on the couch beside it. The fireplace on the opposite side of the room provided a cosy warmth against the cold, so she took off her jacket and reached her hands to pull off the gloves and then her hat.

"Oh my!" Mrs. King gasped "Your hair are a total mess! Don't' you have a comb sweetie?"

Marianne's whole face turned bright red and her hand run to ruffle her wild locks, knowing that little could be done. She had given up any attempt to tame her hair back when she was sixteen and had chopped them off as an act of teen rebellion against her father.

Some stifled giggles came from behind her and Marianne turned to spot two little heads peaking from the door step. She could hear them whispering.

“She seems nice.” said the boy “I like her.”

“You like everyone Thang!” the girl pointed out to her brother “I still don’t trust her, she is not like the others.”

“She is different. Do you think she could be a fairy?”

“Fairies don’t exist Thang.”

"But she looks like one, like the one in granny’s book!"

"Don’t be ridiculous!" she cut him off before giving a slight look at Marianne “And she doesn’t have wings anyway...”

"I apologize for my grandchildren.” Marianne snapped and focused on Griselda again “They gave you a very rough welcome." Griselda poured the tea in two fine ceramic cups and handled one to Marianne, then shot a very threatening look at the door "Now both of you drag your feet right here and come to say 'Hi' properly to Miss Fairfield!" she commanded with a tone that brooked no argument. They rushed in in an instant and took place right in front of their grandmother, looking like little soldiers waiting for their morning inspection.

"So little boy here is Thang." Griselda patted her large hand on Thang's head, ruffling his ash blonde hair. He gave Marianne a wide toothless smile from ear to ear.

"Hello Miss Fairfield." he said with a nasal voice, due to the fact he had his diving mask still on.

"Hello Thang, nice to meet you." She smiled back at him.

Thang removed his mask up to his forehead to look better at her.

"Are you a fairy?" He asked out of the blue.

Marianne frowned puzzled, then knelt to be eye-levelled with him.

“What makes you think that?”

“Well…you have a crazy head like the pixies, and you have colours on your face that sparkles.”

Marianne blamed her glittering make-up. Not even 3 minutes of talking and one of the kids she was supposed to take care of thought she was a crazy supernatural being.

_“Nice job Marianne, keep going that way and they might run off screaming by the end of the day!”_

The kid didn’t seem scared though, more like intrigued, so she decided to indulge that thought.

“Well, I _might_ be a fairy, but it’s a secret! I am here undercover to mingle among the humans.” She grinned and spread her hands waving her fingers, making him giggle.

“WOOOOOOOOOOW…a real fairy” Thang looked amused and Marianne couldn’t help but smile back when she saw the red marks on his face for keeping the diving mask on for so long.

_"No running off so far. Maybe I could handle this situation after all..."_

"An undercover fairy..." The little girl standing beside him snorted loudly "How stupid!" She crossed her arms rolling her eyes in resignation.

_"...or maybe not!"_

"Aaaand of course you've already met Stephanie! Or, as she likes to be called, Stuff! Now don't you have something to say to Miss Fairfield, you little brat?" Griselda pulled at Stuff's ear making her whine.

"Ouch, grandma, leave me!" Stuff grabbed Griselda's hand "I've done nothing wrong! And it is Thang who hasn't learned to spell my name correctly yet!"

"You heard me lady, now!" her grandma retorted, pulling one more time before letting her go.

Stuff kept rubbing her swollen lobe between her fingers. Her cheeky attitude had seemed to cool down a little after Griselda's reproach, however she didn't apologize but simply stood there, a fist clenched along her hip and eyes glued on Marianne, who, still on her knees, gave her a better look.

If Thang had immediately reminded her of Dawn, and not only for the hair, but also for his bright and innocent spirit, the more she looked at Stuff, the more she felt like looking in a mirror that reflected a younger version of herself. With the boldness in her pose, as to prove that she wasn't afraid of anything, or the protective way she was always a step ahead of her brother, she was a fierce little creature.

And that look.

Marianne had easily spotted the fear that hid behind those little eyes. She could understand that feeling, it was what brought her to isolate herself in the past two years, the fear of letting anyone close, when all they do in the end is leaving you alone. Like a poisoned seed that rooted and grew thorns all around her heart since the day her mother died. She thought that her love for Roland would have lifted that weight, but the man took everything from her and only added more thorns around it, until her heart almost crushed beneath them.

And it would have been that way if it hadn't been for Dawn and her sisterly caring. She never gave up on Marianne and slowly pulled the thorns away, leaving a bleeding wounded heart, incapable to feel love again, but still beating.

So now, kneeled before Stuff and Thang, she knew that she would have not give up on them.

A glimpse of purple caught Stuff attention. She looked down to see that a hand with fine polished purple nails was stretched in her direction. Her gaze followed the arm, up at the shoulder until she was met by Marianne's smiling face. It was more like a grimace than a smile and for a moment they both stood still, studying each other not sure of what to do. Stuff shielded herself with her arms across her chest, looking down at that hand like it was a blade pointed at her and Marianne's lips tensed a little.

"I-" She started talking, almost whispering "I know we didn't start with the right foot, so why don't we do this all over again? My name is Marianne, and I would really like to be friends with you... if ... it's ok for you..."

A moment of deafening silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of the fire crackling in the fireplace. Marianne's eyes darted between Stuff, Thang and Griselda, hoping for something to happen.

"She doesn't like you..." It was Thang's clear voice who surprisingly drew everyone's attention "… because she thinks you will leave us like the others before."

"Shut up Thang!" Stuff turned to yell at her brother. "You know it's true, he will scare her like he always does and she'll leave!"

_“He?”_

"He's not here to make decisions now right kids" Griselda interrupted them "Not to mention the fact that all those taken until now have proved wrong. There's no need to scare Miss Fairfield with this foolishness." She turned to Marianne and gave her a reassuring grin.

“But Miss Fairfield is different! She is a fairy! She is not afraid of anything!” Thang pointed is tiny finger at her “She’s tough!”

It was the first time ever Marianne heard someone call her tough. She thought she liked how it sounded.

But another matter was hitching her brain

“Who is ‘ _He’?_ ”

_"And why should I be afraid of him?!"_

The three of them froze instantly when Marianne popped out the question, like if she'd just said that she could walk on the Moon back and forth on foot. Even Griselda looked lost for a moment before putting back on her face that confident smile of hers.

"Kids, why don't you go upstairs to your room? So I can finish my little talk with Miss Fairfield."

Stuff sighed and took Thang by the arm leading them upstairs. When he walked past Marianne he whispered in her ear.

"Don't worry Miss Fairfield, I will keep your secret"

Marianne stood up and smiled, following the two little figures until they disappeared over the stairs.

"So..." Griselda let out a long breath "Now that introductions are finally over, I can show you your room."

"Wait, what room?"

"The room where you will be staying silly."

"I’m sorry but..I don’t think I understand"

“Isn’t that obvious? You will be living here!”

“WHAT?!”

 

*

 

"Woops!" Dawn shrugged her shoulder "I guess I forgot to mention this was a 24/7 job." She tried to look as guilty as possible, but she really wasn't. She dug the scoop in the big bag of dog food Marianne was handling to her and filled the bowl in the cage next to her.

A couple of Corgis barked happily.

"Yes Dawn, I guess you did!" Marianne followed her sister dragging the bag to another cage, where Dawn repeated the same action to feed a cage full of French Bulldogs.

They were at Dawn's pet shop. Marianne had stopped here after leaving the King's house to blame her sister for the mess she put her in.

She found herself helping her feeding the dogs instead. She really was persuasive when she put the can't-tell-me-no look on her face

"Oh don't look at me like that Mari." Dawn looked at her sister's scowl pointing the scoop and waving it in her direction. "It can't be that bad."

"Yeah easy for you to say, twins-mother!" Marianne put the bag down with a huge ‘TONF’

"I thought I had to watch them for a couple of hours in the afternoon, made them play and such." She let her fingers through her hair, like if that gesture could help reorder the tangle of thoughts she had in her head right now.

"What am I supposed to do with them for an entire day? For days and days?! Not to mention the girl hates me already."

Dawn grabbed Marianne's shoulder and looked at her right into the eyes. "Marianne, I know, you are scared. But you can do this. Don't you remember how you took care of me when mum died? You basically raised me, so why with these children should be any different?"

"I... It's just… I don't know Dawn." Marianne put her hands on the ones Dawn had on her shoulders, squeezing them. "They look like they really need someone to take care of them, who can give them love. I just don't know if I can be that person...again. I feel I am going to let them down."

Dawn entwined her fingers with Marianne's and brought both their hands between them. "You just need to get to know them better, and let them get to know you. Oh, and speaking of, have you met Dr. King?"

The older sister sighed heavily and let go of Dawn’s hands.

"No I haven't and according to Mrs. King it's not going to happen anytime soon."

 

*

 

In the end Griselda had finally answered to Marianne's question about the mysterious _"He"_ that turned out to be no other than Dr. King, his son. She had told her that due to being overprotective about his children he always put out of the door every girl that his mother had presented him. So this time she had decided to handle the matter differently.

That is, without telling him anything!

_"He's gone for a business trip and won't be back before a month. By the time he'll be back home it will be too late for him to kick you away."_

That was Griselda's great plan of action.

Marianne kept brooding about it, laying in her new bed (a king size!), in her new bedroom, while her eyes were travelling the room trying to get familiar with it.

The bedroom was simply furnished but if was full of more warmth than Marianne had felt back in her apartment and it even had its own bathroom inside. The back wall over the bed was decorated with a mural, a dark forest with the sunlight piercing through the trees. On the bed over the blankets there was a hand embroidered purple cover that Marianne held up to her chin. It was a habit she had since she could remember. Even in the hottest days she liked to have something to cover her body while sleeping.

It made her feel protected.

She turned to her side to face the window, small drops of water were starting to wet the glass, first slowly, then faster until Marianne fell asleep to the sound of the pouring rain.

 

_In her dream Marianne is a fairy, she even has wings and uses them to fly and reach the dark forest, the same from the mural on the wall. She flies over a meadow full of primroses in bloom, brushing them with her hand. She stumbles in a spider web much bigger than her, but she sets free and continues flying. She doesn't know why she needs to reach the dark forest, she just knows that she has to. Shadows are coming for her, so she hides behind a thorn wall. She hurts herself and curses, but she doesn't stop. The closer she gets, the more she is able to hear some sounds, no, voices. Closer and closer, until the voices turn into screams, and that's when she wakes up._

 

Marianne's eyes shut open. She couldn't remember the last time she had a dream so vivid to seem real, actually she couldn't remember the last time she had a dream at all.

She sat on the bed rubbing her eyes with her hands and elbows resting on her knees, trying to exit from her half-sleep state, where she could still hear the screams from her dream.

Except they weren't from her dream.

They were far too real.

It was a child screaming.

_"The kids!"_

She was running before her brain even registered why, out of the bed and out in the first floor hallway. It took her a moment to remember where the kids' room was from the brief tour of the house that Griselda gave her. But then another scream pointed her in the right direction, two doors after her room. She rushed running barefoot on the wooden floor to reach the room.

Once in front of the door she opened it very slowly before entering.

She immediately saw the two beds at the opposite sides of the room.

Thang was peacefully sleeping in his, splashed on the mattress with mouth open and his left arm and leg hanging out. Marianne would have thought he was funny but her concerns were all for Stuff.

She was sitting on her bed, crying, knees up and face buried between them. When a thunder rumbled from outside she screamed and brought her hands to cover her ears.

"AAAAAH! Make it stop!" She sobbed "I'm scared!"

"Hey, hey, it's ok Stuff. I'm here." She reached for her, sitting on the bed. The moment she was near, Stuff threw her arms around Marianne's waist.

Marianne stood still, unsure of what to do, while Stuff kept sobbing against her belly.

"I don't like thunders." She muffled, before hardening her grip on Marianne when another thunder rumbled in the distance.

"They're too loud!" she cried again.

Marianne put her arms around Stuff's shoulders and started rubbing her back with gentle strokes. Her body felt tense and trembling under her hands, she must had been scared as hell.

"Hush, hush I'm here now. They can't harm you."

Still holding her, Marianne slowly moved back and forth in a lulling rhythm, humming a tune every time she felt a thunder coming, until eventually Stuff started relaxing in her arms. She looked down at her little face, all red and wet from the tears.

"Why don't we wipe these away?" Said Marianne, using the end of her pajamas shirt to rub her cheeks. "See, much better!"

Stuff sniffed while watching Marianne, her touch felt light on her face.

"...I'm so sorry" she whispered when Marianne had finished

"Hey" Marianne put a finger under her chin to made Stuff look at her "You don't have to be sorry. Actually you were pretty brave!"

"You...you think so?" Stuff smiled a little. It was the first real smile since Marianne had set foot in that house. It was beautiful, and she felt a warmth in her chest so strong that it almost ached.

"Yes Stuff...I do think so." She cupped her chubby face in her hands and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"So, feeling like going back to sleep?"

Stuff nodded and Marianne helped her getting back to bed. When she finished tugging the blankets and she was about to leave, she felt a pull at her shirt.

"Please Miss Fairfield, could you stay?"

Marianne looked back at her "Want me to sleep with you?"

Stuff nodded again

"Ok then.." Marianne grinned and came back to the bed. Stuff shifted to make her space and Marianne had to snuggle to fit the little bed.

"But only until you fall asleep." She held her pinkie finger at her "Deal?"

Stuff held her pinkie finger too and they shook their hands "Deal."

From the other side of the room, Thang snored loudly.

The both giggled.

 

*

 

Marianne woke some time later, the light from the window beside Stuff's bed told her it was still late night and that the rain had finally ceased. She moved slowly trying not to wake up the kids, her body aching after sleeping in a bed half her size.

She was almost at the door when she heard some noises coming from downstairs. She held her breath, wandering for a moment if she had imagined them, but then she heard it again, a clear sound of glass breaking along with some voices.

_"There's someone in the house!"_ was her first rational thought.

Her second was to search the room for anything to use as a weapon. In the poor light she saw something resembling a mace on the floor, a toy sword, and she picked it up before heading out.

From the head of the stairs she could she a dim light coming from under the studio room. So there was someone, and judging by the rummaging sound it was clearly a robber.

Each step she took she was very careful not to make a sound, freezing every time she heard the wooden floor creaking beneath her feet.

_"Bludy hell! Where is it?!"_

A very deep male voice made her stop again just a few steps behind the door. It was slightly opened and stretching out her neck she peaked inside to see something.

A tall, skinny figure was frenetically searching the room. From her position Marianne could see he was bent on the studio desk giving her his back. She adjusted the grip on the toy sword and held it like a baseball bat.

_"If you're gonna threaten my kids, you'll have to deal with me first."_ It was her third and last thought.

Then she burst in the room yelling.

She went straight on his back, hitting him hard with the sword. The thief fell over the desk and before he could even try to stand up Marianne came for him again, jumping literally on his back.

"WHAT THE-"

"You came to the wrong house motherfucker!" she hit him in the head with the hilt of the sword and he jerked back. They both stumbled on the ground and this time he was quicker than her. He stood up and ran for the door but Marianne, still with her torso on the floor, managed to hit his ankle with the toy and he fell again.

"FUCK!"

"You can say that!" She mocked him. She couldn't see clear her surroundings, the studio lamp had broken when he hit the desk and now all the light came from the night sky through the window. She could barely distinguish him lying on the floor, so she stood up on her knees and rose up the sword over her head ready for another attack.

And that was when the lights turned on.

"What is going on in here?"

The sudden change of light blinded Marianne but she could recognize Griselda's voice. When her eyes adjusted she could see her in the doorway, with her finger on the light switch. She was in her nightgown and had the rollers holding her hair. Also the kids were beside her.

"Urgh...Ah should be the one askin’ ‘at!"

The man spoke propping up on his elbows and rubbing his head where Marianne had hit him before. And that was when Marianne realized that in the struggle she ended sitting on his lap, her knees at the side of his hips. She also had the sword still ready to strike over her head.

She glanced at him and found two deep blue orbs staring at her, so intense that she felt almost naked. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression, something between rage and inquisitiveness, and along with the sharp features of his face it made her more uncomfortable.

She opened her mouth about to say something, even if her mind was pretty blank at the moment, when Thang came out from behind his grandmother and threw his arms around the man’s neck.

"Daddy!” he cheered, causing him to fall with his back on the floor again.

_“Daddy?!”_

Marianne felt her blood froze in her veins.

“Son!” Griselda sounded surprised “You’re back!”

_“Son?!”_

That couldn’t be.

The sword fell on the floor.

_"OH NO!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!
> 
> I apologize again so much for taking so long, but I didn't had much time to write lately! I hope it was worth the wait! :)
> 
> Thank you for all you reviews, they really gave me motivation to go on! And please keep sending me feedback, it's really important to me!


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